Robber who crashed vehicle into Lockport liquor store gets prison

Gary A. Carpenter, a Town of Tonawanda man who crashed his vehicle through the front window of a Lockport liquor store in 2014 as a means of stealing liquor and cash, was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison.

Niagara County Judge Matthew J. Murphy III imposed the maximum sentence available on Carpenter, who flunked out of court-supervised drug treatment.

Carpenter crashed into Lincoln Square Wine & Spirits Nov. 19, 2014, fought with police and threw away the stolen items as police chased him and eventually stopped him by zapping him with a Taser, according to Assistant District Attorney Joel M. Grundy.

Carpenter, 29, owes $13,427 in restitution to the store's insurers. His sentence will be served after he finishes a 2 1/2-year term, imposed last month, for an assault in Erie County.

Thomas J. Prohaska – Thomas Prohaska has been a reporter for The Buffalo News since 1995. A graduate of Starpoint Central High School and St. Bonaventure University, he previously worked at WLVL Radio in Lockport.